[Editor's note:This item will be updated continuously as new information comes in.]

A gas pipeline explosion near Milford, about 50 miles south of Dallas in Ellis County between Waxahachie and Hillsboro off Interstate 35E, has prompted the evacuation of the town of about 700. Exit ramps off I-35E into Milford are closed, as are the farm-to-market roads around the explosion.

The explosion, which occurred at an active drill site, occurred just after 9:30 a.m. in the middle of a rural area, but surrounding residents report feeling the explosion. Milford’s about a mile from the site of the explosion.

Officials at a noon news conference said crews working for Chevron punctured a 10-inch liquid petroleum gas line, and that the gas through that line has been cut off. All personnel working on the site have been accounted for, and there were no injuries or damage to surrounding property.

Emergency coordinators are waiting for the fire to subside before they even consider approaching it. Officials say the fire could burn through Friday morning.

The Ellis County Sheriff’s Department says the whole town of Milford is being evacuated, and being sent to nearby Italy, where high school students wearing orange safety vests ushered evacuees into the school’s concrete-domed gymnasium. Officials say that’s to escape the fumes.

Michelle Harris got a call from Milford High School, where her children go to school, saying that there had been an explosion.

“I thought of West,” she said of the fertilizer plant blast in April just down the road. “I thought houses could be gone, I thought the school could be gone.”

But her fears were unfounded: “It was amazing that the children and everybody is OK.”

Jakie Loyd, 91, and her daughter-in-law were told to evacuate by authorities and fled north to Italy.

“I saw a bunch of police cars racing around,” she said. “State police said we had to get out immediately.”

Both she and daughter-in-law Carol Loyd were biding their time in the Italy High gymnasium, along with about 50 other evacuees from the town.

“Everyone tried to leave at once,” the younger woman said, “so it was kind of chaotic.”

While they certainly saw the towering smoke plume after the explosion, Carol said their was no smell evident and they air quality seemed OK.

“I’m not too worried,” she said. “I have lots of family I can stay with.”

Both women were more concerned about the pets they left behind in Milford. Jakie wanted to get back home to her dog, and Carol was worried about her ailing cat.

“I know it’s silly at a time like this, but I left behind my 18-month-old cat,” Carol said, “so I’ll wait and see if we can get back in.”

As of 12:18 p.m., the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department had requested a no-fly zone within five miles of the blast site. But officials say they have not received confirmation.

According to the National Weather Service, the plume is “slowly spreading north,” says Jason Dunn.

“We can kind of see it on radar,” Dunn says. “And it looks like it may faintly be into southern Dallas. It’s certain in Waxahachie and heading north, and it’ll disperse the further north it goes. But you should be able to see it from southern Dallas.”

The Railroad Commission of Texas, which regulates gas drilling in the state, says it is sending an inspector to the scene.

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